Apparatus for rolling billets in the manufacture of machine-made horseshoes.



N0. 855,533. PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907. A. SMITH.

APPARATUS FOR ROLLING BILLETS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MACHINE MADE HORSESHOES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.11.1903.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Witnesses:

m: NORRIS PETERS ca, wasmucrou a r:

No. 855,533. PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907.

1 v A. SMITH. APPARATUS FOR ROLLING BILLBTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MACHINE MADE HORSESHOBS.

APPLICATION rum) APR.11,1903.'

% Q I BSHEETB-SHEET 2.

Witnesses:

n5: NDRRIS FETERS co., wAsnmcrou, 0. cv

No. 855,538. A PATEMBD mum, 190v.

. A. SMITH.

APPARATUS FOR ROLLING BILLETS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MAOHIBTZE MAPE HORSE-SHOES.

APPLIUATION FILED APE. 11,1903.

5 SHEETS-EHBEI B.

Inventor Attamvys I THE rmRRls PEYsRs 50-. WA:

PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907.

A. SMITH. APPARATUS FOR ROLLING BILLETS INYTHE MANUFACTURE OF MAGHINE MADE HORSBSHOBS. APPLICATION PILED:APR.11,1903.

6 S EETS-BHEET 4.

No. 855.533. PATENTED JUNE 4. 1907. A. SMITH. 1 APPARATUSYFOR ROLLING BILLBTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MACHINE MADE HORSESHOES.

APPLIOATION rzLnn APB.11,1903.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

TINTTE STATLE S PATENT OTFTQ.

ARTHUR SMITH, OF EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN HORSE SHOE COMPANY, OF PHILLIPSBURG, NEW JERSEY, A OORPORA- TION OF NETV JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR ROLLlNG BlLLETS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MACHINE-MADE HORSESHOES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4, 1907.

Application filed April 11, 1903. Serial N0. 152,105.

To alt w/wm/ it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Easton, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Rolling Billets in the Manufacture of Machine-Made Horseshoes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improved apparatus for rolling billets in the manufacture of machine-made horseshoes and the improvements relate particularly to the mechanism for forming the so-called crease i the strand billet which is subsequently cut into the desired lengths.

At the present time in the manufacture of machine-made horseshoes, a suitable billet having been first heated to the required temperature, is, by means of rolls, gradually reduced in cross section to form a long strand billet, trapezoidal in cross section. This strand billet is then passed between creasing rolls by means of which the metal is formed with a succession of creases in its face near the inclined side, each crease being formed with deeper depressions, adapted to be sub sequently cut through by punches to constitute the nail holes. In the most ordinarily used machines in America, the creasing rolls have been composed of a roll having a rectangular groove formed in its periphery, and which is partly entered by a tongue roll, so as to constitute a rectangular pass. Such prior machines were ordinarily made with the creasing dies carried on the tongue roll, the billet being carried in and fed by the groove roll, and being acted upon by the creasing dies of the tongue roll, the two rolls leing positively geared to rotate together. ith such prior apparatus, the creasing of strand billets in the manufacture of machinemade horseshoes has been open to serious practical objections. In the first place, any lateral derangement in the adjustment of the tongue roll would result in a corresponding shifting of the position of the crease in the strand. billet, so that the crease would be frequently formed so close to the inclined face of the billet as not to leave sufficient metal on the creased side of the billet. In the next place, with such prior apparatus, absolutely regular longitudinal spacing of the creases in the strand billet was dependent entirely upon the operation of the tongue and groove rolls at the same surface speed. It frequently happened with such apparatus'through slipping in some part of the apparatus, or in the driving connections that the two creasing rolls would not be driven at the same surface speed, and consequently the strand billet would either be accelerated or retarded with respect tothe creasing dies, which would therefore form the creases either too far apart or too close together. In the next place with such prior apparatus, the action of the creasing dies on the strand billet displaced the metal opposite each crease, making the creased side vertical opposite each crease, so that the edge of the strand billet adjacent to the creases was more or less wave-like and undulatory. This displacement of the metal was possible since the groove was rectangular and did not operate to confine the metal. ll ith such prior apparatus it would have been impossible to make the groove of the same cross sectional shape as the desired strand billet, because in that case the groove would be narrower at its throat than at the bottom, and consequently the billet could not leave the same. It was consequently necessary to subject the horseshoe billet (i. e. the creased strand billet) to the action of planishing-rolls, by means of which the original inclined conformation of the billet at the creased side would be restored, making the billet of the same outside shape throughout its entire length. After planishing the billet would be lengthened, which lengthening would be irregular throughout the entire billet, owing to different causes.

What I propose by my present invention is a production of apparatus by means of which these objections are entirely overcome, while at the same time, the apparatus is much cheaper than that heretofore used, its capacity is very greatly increased and the character of the product turned out is superior to that secured with existing apparatus. At the same time my improved apparatus does away entirely with the necessity for p1anishing-rolls.

The invention comprises the transposition of the creasing dies from the tongue roll to twice as the groove roll, and in' driving the tongue roll entirely by friction of the billet instead of independently, as heretofore. With my improved apparatus therefor, the tongue roll acts simply as an idler to hold the strand billet in position within the groove roll, while the billet is being acted upon by the creasing dies. Since with my improved apparatus I carry the creasing dies in the groove roll, it becomes possible to make the groove of the same cross sectional shape as the billet, the groove being wider at its throat than at the bottom; and in consequence the groove tends to confine the metal of the billet to prevent lateral expansion thereof.

WVhen my improved creasing apparatus was first constructed, it was found that when running at the usual speed, and the creasing dies engaging the strand billet near one edge thereof, the engagement of the dies with the strand billet caused the narrow web of metal on the outside of each crease to be drawn toward the bottom of the crease, by the frictional engagement of the convex side of the creasing die with that party of the billet near its inclined side, so that the resulting horseshoe billets were very badly distorted, and could not. be restored to the desired. cross sectional form by any known arrangement of planishing rolls. I discovered, however, that if the surface speed of the creasing rolls is materially increased it is possible to effect the creasing of the billet without any objectionable displacement of the metal, except the formation of a small bur or fin on the back of the billet along the line of the creased edge and opposite to each crease. These burs or fins are so small that for many purposes they are quite unobjectionable, but in any event, they can be readily removed by a simple form of cutter, o erating in comiection with the creasing ro ls, as I shall presently describe and claim. I find that this improved result can be secured when the surface speed of the creasing rolls is made about great 'as that now ordinarily employed. In other Words, with apparatus as used prior to my invention, creasing rolls having a diameter of 8 inches have been operated at a shaft speed of about 250 turns per minute, giving a surface speed of about 525 feet per minute. 'By increasing the shaft speed of 8-inch creasing rolls to about 500 turns per minute, giving a surface speed of about 1050 feet per minute, any objectionable displacement of the metal is overcome, since the creasing dies apparently'cut into the metal like a saw, and in consequence the desired cross sectional shape of the billet is retained throughout its length. If creasing rolls of greater or less diameter are used, the shaft speed should be properly adjusted to give the desired surface speed to the rolls of somewhat more than a thousand feet per minute. I find. that if this surface speed is materially decreased, the advantages of my invention are not realized. The surface speed, however, may be increased to any desired or convenient extent with the consequent utilization of the desirable features of my inven tion. Another advantage incident to the increased surface speed is that the dies are not injured. I find in practice that at low speed (i. e. not more than 525 feet per minute) the dies will break and become crushed after very little use. At the high speed described, the dies on the contrary do not break nor become crushed.

Another advantage incident to my improvement lies in the fact that billets may be creased and at the same time that portion which is to become the toe may be -made thicker. This is not possible with the usual machine, as the planishing operation would. restore the billets to a uniform thickness.

In the passing of a strand billet between my improved creasing rolls the billet is formed on its back with square corners which may be left as such in the finished horseshoes. If it is desired that these corners should be rounded, as is preferable in someinstances, the creased billet may be passed between finishing rolls for that purpose.

The practical advantages which arise in the operation of my improved apparatus are the following: 1. The apparatus does away entirely with the use of planishing rolls for smoothing the side edges of the blank after the creasing operation, it is cheaper, and more easily operated than the prior apparatus, and one handling of the blank or bar is entirely overcome. 2. Since the creasing operation is effected at about double the surface speed at present employed, the operation of creasing and finishing the strand billet is very greatly expedited, and a creasing machine can do about twice the work of such devices as now used. 3. Since the creasing operation is effected withoutlateral displacement of the metal, the creases will be always formed uniformly in the blank at the same distance from the nearest side edge. With prior apparatus, the necessity of passing the bars after creasing between planishing rolls made it uncertain that the creases would in the final product be uniformly located in the strand billet, and, as a matter of fact, there were very considerable variations in the position of the creases after blanks made with existing apparatus had passed between the planishing-rolls. In other words, my improved machine is not only cheaper and simpler, but it can be operated with greater economy, its output is about twice that of existing types of apparatus, and its product is in every way superior.

In order that the construction of an apparatus embodying my invention in its ferred aspect, as well as the details of construction and arrangement in such an appa ratus, may be understood, attention is directed to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus; Fig. 2 a longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 3 a front elevation of the same; Fig. 4 a section on the line 44 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 a section on the line 55 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 an en larged sectional view of the rotary cutter; Fig. 7 an enlarged plan view of the same; Fig. 8 an enlarged view of portions of the creasing rolls showing the shape of the pass between the same; Fig. 9 a corresponding view of portions of the finishing rolls, showing the shape of the pass between the same Fig. 10, a detail section of rolls used in making horseshoe blanks without creases, but with the nail holes partly formed therein; and Fig. 11, aside view 'of the complete apparatus showing the means for driving the creasing rolls at an abnormally high speed.

In its preferred aspect, my improved apparatus comprises creasing rolls shownat the left in Fig. 2, finishing rolls shown at the right in that figure, a table or platform connecting the same let from the creasing rolls to the finishing rolls, and a cutter to which the blank is subjected in this passage. These several parts will be described in their order:

Orea'sing rolls: These rolls are mounted in housings 1 and 2, connected together by heavy tie bolts 3 and spaced properly by sleeves 4surrounding the tie bolts. Mounted in the housings are journal boxes 5 '5 and 6, 6, for the shaftsof the creasing rolls 7 and S. The groove roll 7 is formed with the creasing dies 9 for forming the creases in the billet. IVith some types of horseshoes, creases are not employed but the shoes are formed with a series of nail holes, the openings being large enough to enable the heads of the nails to be countersunk. In the making of shoes of this type, the dies on the groove roll will have the form shown in Fig. 10. The tongue roll 8 enters the groove of the groove roll, as shown in Fig. 8, this groove being of the same cross sectional shape as the strand billet, so as to confine the metal and prevent its lateral expansion.

The two sets of journal boxes 5 and 6 at each side are separated by a wedge 10 ad justed longitudinally by screws 11, so as to thereby adjust the creasing rolls with respect to each other, to regulate the desired thickness of the horseshoe billet. The journal boxes are all maintained rigidly in place by heavy screws 12 on each side, engaging a block 13 bearing upon the upper box 6. As

shown in Fig. 4, each of the journal boxes is formed with a flange 14 working in a recess 15 in the housing, and. engaged by an adjust ing screw 16. Between each of the journal boxes and the hubs of the creasing rolls are interposed rings or sleeves 17, so that by adjusting the screw 16, the creasing rolls can be shifted longitudinally with respect to the housings, as will be understood. Two adjusting screws 16 are employed for adjusting the lower section of each journal box. In order that the upper section of each journal box may move with the lower, a tenon 18 on one may engage with a corresponding mortise in the other, as shown. Means is provided for revolving the rolls at an abnormally high surface speed, approximating one thousand feet per minute. This means may consist of a high speed driving engine connected directly to the roll shafts, or by using an en gine of ordinary speed with multiplying gearing interposed between it and the rolls. The form of multiplying gearing is shown in Fig. 11 and consists of a system of spur gears 44, connected with an engine- 45, but it is to be understood that any other form of multiplying gearing or engine may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention. Power is applied to the groove roll 7, so that the tongue roll 8 is frictionally rotated by j contact with the billet carried by the groove for guiding the creasedbilroll, and operates merely as an idler to press the billet within the groove roll while the jcalillet is being acted upon by the creasing Finishing rolls: The finishing rolls are con nected with the creasing rolls by a flat table or platform 19. They comprise a pair of rolls 20 having a proper pass between them (see Fig. 9) to round off the sharp corners at the back of the billet, but these rolls may be omitted entirely when the formation of sharp corners on the back of the billet is unobjectionable. The finishing rolls, when used, are mounted in housing 21 in divided journal boxes 22 held in place by screws 23 as is common Power is applied to one of the finishing rolls by a belt wheel 24 driven by a belt 46 and counter shaft 47 and the rolls are geared together by spur gears 25.

Rotary cutter: The rotary cutter 26 is formed with a sleeve 27 and is mounted to rotate on the stub shaft 28 pivoted to a bracket 29 depending from the table or platform 19, so that the cutter can be moved from the normal position (shown in full lines Fig. 6) to the cutting position (shown in dotted lines in that figure). The cutter is held in engagement with a shoulder on the stub shaft 28 by a coil spring 30 whose upper end connects with a small stationary angle plate 31, the tension of the spring being adjusted by screws 32. The distance between the front edge of the cutter (when in the dotted line 1 position) and the table 19 is equal to the 1 thickness of the horseshoe billet, so that the billet can pass beneath the cutter, but any projecting bur or fin will be cut off. In order to move the cutter to the dotted line position, I employ a lever 33 pivoted to the bracket 34, and carrying a roller 35 at its IOC IOR

lower end, and having an adjusting screw 36, engaging the angle plate 31. The parts are maintained in the normal full line position by a spiral spring 37. When the horseshoe billet passes beneath the rollers 35, the lever 33 will be tilted so as to move the cutter to engage and cut off any projecting burs or fins on the billet. It will be observed that the cutter is mounted to one side of the line of travelof the billet, so that the latter engages the cutter tangentially, whereby the cutter willbe rotated by the moving billet so as to cleanly cut off, any projecting burs. The horseshoe billet is guided from the creasing rolls by vertical guide rollers 38 and passes under a. roller 39'before reachin the cutter so as to insure the passage of the forward end of the billet beneath the cutter, when the latter is in its normal full line position. The horseshoe billet is guided to the finishing rolls between vertical guide rollers 40, and under a guide roller 41. An extension 42 of the platform 19 is formed at the discharge side of the finishing rolls, and is provided with guide rollers 43 for guiding the finished bar or blank from the finishing rolls.

Operation: Power is applied to the groove roll 7, so as to rotate the same at a very high surface speed, approximately one thousand feet or more per minute. Power is a plied to the belt wheel 24 to rotate the finishing rolls. The strand billet in a heated condition having been first reduced to the proper sizeand shape is passed between the creasing rolls, and at the high surface speed with which those rolls operate, the billet will be creased without any objectionable displacement of the metal, except the formation of av bur or fin on the back edge of the bar opposite each crease. These burs or fins are seldom more than th of an inch in height, and in many instances are unobjectionable. The horseshoe billet leaving the creasing rolls passes between the guide rollers 38 and beneath the roller 39 and under the rotary cutter 26, which occupies its normal position, shown in full lines in Fig. 6. Since the forward end of the horseshoes billet engages the roller 35, the lever 33 will be tilted to move the rotary cutter to the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 6, and the latter willcleanly cut off the burs or fins from the billet as will be understood. From the cutter the billet passes between guide rollers 40 and under the roller 41, and thence through the finishing rolls where its back edges are slightly rounded to make a finished product. From the finishing rolls, the horseshoe billet is cut up into the desired lengths which are then ent, is

heated in muflies and subsequently converted into finished horseshoes in the usual way.

WVhil'e I prefer to make use of an apparatus having the several features above described, it will be understood that the finishing rolls I may be entirely separate from the creasing l rolls, and that the horseshoe billets may be passed through finishing rolls in a subsequent and entirely separate operation, or the finishing rolls may be dispensed with entirely, when it is not desired to round the back edges of the billet. It will be also understood that the cutter may be omitted and any bur or fin formed in the creasing operation removed in any other way, or these burs or fins may, as stated, be allowed to remain without removal.

The essential features of the invention consist: 1. In mounting the creasing dies on the groove roll permitting the use of a pass between thecreasing rolls, having the desired form of the finished billet. 2. In operating the creasing rolls at such an abnormally high surface speed that the lateral displacement of the billet is overcome, so as to thereby do away with the necessity of using planishing rolls as is now practiced.

The method herein disclosed is not claimed in this application for patent, but forms the subject-matter of an application filed by me November 2nd, 1903, Serial No. 179,567.

Having now described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat- 1. In apparatus for creasing bars or blanks preparatory to the manufacture of machine-made horseshoes therefrom, the combination with a pair of creasing rolls, of a rotary cutter in the line of movement of the bar and .means controlled by the movement of the creased bar for engaging the cutter therewith, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In apparatus for creasing bars or blanks preparatory to the manufacture of machine-made horseshoes therefrom, the combination with a pair of creasing rolls, of a rotary cutter to which the creased bar is subjected, said cutter being movable toward and away from the bar and a pivoted lever arranged to be engaged by the bar for moving the cutter int'o operative engagement therewith, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In apparatus for creasing bars or blanks preparatory to the manufacture of machine-made horseshoes therefrom, the combination with a pair of creasing rolls, of a rotary cutter to which the creased bar is subjected, said cutter being movable toward and away from the bar, a pivoted. lever arranged to be engaged by the bar for moving the cutter intooperative engagement therewith, and an adjustable connection between said lever and the cutter, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In apparatus for creasing bars or blanks preparatory to the manufacture of machine-made horseshoes therefrom, the combination. with a pair of rolls having creasmg dies thereon, of a pair of finishing rolls to which the creased blank is subjected after leaving the creasing rolls, a cutter arranged between the creasing rolls and the finishing rolls, and to which the creased blank is subjected before reaching the finishing rolls, and means controlled by the movement of the creased bar for engaging the cutter therewith substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In apparatus for creasing bars or blanks preparatory to the manufacture of machine-made horseshoes therefrom, the combination with a pair of rolls having creasin dies thereon, a pair of finishing rolls to which the creased blank is subjected after leaving the creasing rolls, and a rotary cutter and means controlled by the movement of the creased blank for engaging the cuttertherewith; substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

This speclfication signed and witnessed this 4th day of April, 1903.

ARTHUR SMITH.

Witnesses:

J AS. F. COLEMAN, JNo. RoBr. TAYLOR. 

